Asok presents Rs 4cr deficit SMC budget

Mayor Bhattacharya presents the budget on Tuesday. Picture by Passang Yolmo

TT, Siliguri: Mayor Asok Bhattacharya tabled the budget of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation for the 2018-19 fiscal on Tuesday.

The budget showed a rise of almost 71 per cent or Rs 130 crore over the budget of the current fiscal, with a deficit of around Rs 4 crore.

"For the upcoming fiscal, we have placed a budget of Rs 309 crore. We would request all councillors to support it for development of the city and its residents," Bhattacharya said after the meeting.

While tabling the budget at the board meeting, the mayor said despite facing financial crunches, the SMC had decided not to impose any fresh tax and instead, would concentrate on increasing earnings by collecting outstanding taxes.

He also went on reiterating that the state was not paying money to the civic body and that was why development works were being delayed.

However, when asked about the increase in the allocations by around Rs 130 crore, Bhattacharya said a similar amount was due from the state and the SMC was expected to receive it.

"We are supposed to get around Rs 130 crore from the state. Once we receive the fund, it will be easier for us to implement proposals that we have mentioned in the budget," the mayor said.

Such move by the mayor has left political observer surprised.

"It is surprising that he has increased the allocations with the anticipation that he would receive funds from the state, particularly when a constant claim-and-denial game is going on between him and the state over allotment of civic funds," said an observer.

He pointed out that while the mayor on one hand lashed out at the state in writing at the budget document, on the other hand, he planned to visit state officials and ministers again to pursue the funds at the end of this month.

Ranjan Sarkar, a Trinamul councillor and leader of the opposition, was critical at the mayor.

"He criticised the state in his budget speech and accused that funds are not being allotted. If that is so, then the mayor should have mentioned in the budget that how the proposals would be executed and the expenditure would be made without state's assistance," said Sarkar.

On Thursday, discussion would be held on the budget and then, it would be put for voting. In terms of numbers, there are 22 Left councillors in the 47 ward civic body.

They need support of at least two councillors from opposition to pass the budget.